Total volume sales of alcoholic drinks rose in Qatar in 2024, as the market finally normalised following dramatic fluctuations over the review period. The market witnessed a marked decline in 2020 because of the pandemic and revived in 2021 as signs of the pandemic started to fade. As Qatar hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2022, volume sales surged and subsequently fell away again in 2023 as the one-off impact from the tournament faded. Alcoholic drinks’ volume sales finally normalised with growth in the final year of the review period. Growth in 2024 was driven by changing consumer demographics, including rising inbound tourism flows to Qatar as well as an increasing number of expatriates moving into the country, which both expanded the consumer base for alcoholic drinks.
Beer was the largest category within alcoholic drinks overall in volume terms in 2024, though it was not the largest category by value, as it has a relatively low unit price, especially non alcoholic beer, which generates the majority of beer sales. Spirits was the largest category within alcoholic drinks overall in value terms in 2024.
Heineken was the leading player in alcoholic drinks overall in Qatar in 2024 thanks to its strength in the large beer category. Indeed, the top three players were all brewers, with Heineken followed by Oranjeboom Bierbrauwerij and Anheuser-Busch InBev. Diageo was the fourth largest player. While Diageo has a presence in beer through the Guinness stout brand, its strength in alcoholic drinks is primarily reliant on its spirits portfolio, which includes the Johnnie Walker and Smirnoff brands in whiskies and vodka, respectively. Indeed, Diageo is the leading player in spirits, thanks to its portfolio of established, popular brands in the Qatari market.
Food/drink/tobacco specialists was the leading distribution channel within alcoholic drinks overall in 2024. At-home consumption of alcoholic drinks is allowed only for those with a personal alcoholic drinks permit. The country’s sole importer, distributor and seller of alcohol is Qatar Distribution Company (QDC), a subsidiary of Qatar Airways, and this organisation is the sole company licensed to import and sell alcohol. Until recently, the company had only one store, on the outskirts of the capital Doha. However, due to increased demand during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, QDC opened a second branch closer to residential areas outside the West Bay Sheraton hotel. This means that permit holders can now purchase alcohol without having to travel to Abu Hamour, which is on the outskirts of Doha.
The off-trade channel saw an increase in its share of alcoholic drinks volume sales over the review period to overtake on-trade sales. The off-trade distribution of alcohol drinks in Qatar has traditionally been limited to the store-based operations of the Qatar Distribution Company (QDC), the sole retailer licensed to sell alcoholic drinks in Qatar. Until recently, the company had only one store, located at Abu Hamour, on the outskirts of Doha. However, due to increased demand during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, QDC opened a second branch closer to residential areas in West Bay Sheraton hotel. Due to QDC’s sales monopoly, food/drink/tobacco specialists account for all off-trade sales of drinks that contain alcohol, with only non alcoholic beer having a wider distribution reach. Non alcoholic beer faces no restriction on sale and is widely available from grocery retailers across the country. Non alcoholic beer is mainly purchased from supermarkets and hypermarkets while making regular grocery shopping trips, although convenience stores and independent small local grocers are also popular for impulse purchases. The considerably wider consumer base for non alcoholic beer in comparison to other alcoholic drinks means that supermarkets and hypermarkets are significant off-trade distribution channels for alcoholic drinks, despite sales of other products occurring solely via food/drink/tobacco specialists.
Total volume sales of alcoholic drinks are set to rise in Qatar over the forecast period. A handful of factors will support alcoholic drinks’ forecast growth including higher inbound tourism flows to Qatar, thanks to national carrier Qatar Airways’ efforts to increasingly place the country as a stopover destination for long-haul flights, attracting tourists from the US through to Australia. In addition, the expansion of Qatar’s hospitality industry is likely to make alcoholic drinks more widely available.
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Alcoholic Drinks
Alcoholic drinks is the aggregation of beer, wine, spirits, cider/perry and RTDs.
See all of our definitionsThis report originates from Passport, our Alcoholic Drinks research and analysis database.
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